Surface pressure distribution sensor

• US 20040206190A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kawahata, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 6,862,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

A surface pressure distribution sensor includes a row-line portion and a column-line portion that face each other with a certain spacing therebetween by a spacer. The row-line portion includes a glass substrate, multiple row lines formed on the glass substrate so as to extend in parallel to each other in a first direction, and an insulating film that covers the row lines. The column-line portion includes a flexible film and multiple column lines formed on the flexible film so as to extend in parallel to each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Claims

1. A surface pressure distribution sensor comprising:

row lines having a plurality of conductors extending in parallel to each other in a first direction;

column lines having a plurality of conductors extending in parallel to each other in a second direction across the first direction; and

a substrate including the row lines and a substrate including the column lines,

wherein at least one of the substrates comprises a flexible film substrate, and a pressure distribution is detected based on an electrostatic capacitance change at intersections of the row lines and the column lines.

2. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to claim 1, wherein the row lines and the column lines are formed on first and second independent substrates, respectively, and the first and second substrates overlap so that the row lines and the column lines intersect with each other.

3. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrates are formed of a single flexible film substrate, the row lines and the column lines are formed on the flexible film substrate, and the flexible film substrate is folded at a predetermined position so that the row lines and the column lines intersect with each other.

4. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the flexible film substrate is made of a resin having different thermal shrinkages in the first and second directions;

the row lines and the column lines are formed so as to extend in the higher-thermal-shrinkage direction when a film stress caused by the row lines or the column lines is a tensile stress; and

the row lines and the column lines are formed so as to extend in the lower-thermal-shrinkage direction when the film stress is a compressive stress.

5. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to any one of claims 1 through 3, at least either the row lines or the column lines are coated with an insulating film.

6. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to claim 5, wherein the flexible film substrate is made of a resin having different thermal shrinkages in the first and the second directions;

the row lines and the column lines are formed so as to extend in the higher-thermal-shrinkage direction when a film stress caused by the row lines or the column lines and the insulating film is a tensile stress; and

the row lines and the column lines are formed so as to extend in the lower-thermal-shrinkage direction when the film stress is a compressive stress.

7. A surface pressure distribution sensor according to claim 3, wherein the row lines and the column lines are formed on the flexible film substrate so as to extend in the same direction, and the flexible film substrate is folded so that the row lines and the column lines intersect with each other.